US delegation to meet GCC officials in Riyadh for talks on Iran, counterterrorism

A senior US government delegation is set to travel to Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, to participate in the US-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Working Group meetings, taking place from February 13-16, the US State Department said.

The US delegation will meet with representatives from the GCC member states and the Secretariat to discuss shared priorities, including integrated air and missile defense and maritime security, Iran, and counterterrorism, the State Department said.

The delegation will be led by some of the top US government officials, including Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley, Acting Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Acting US Special Envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS Christopher Landberg, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Arabian Peninsula Affairs Daniel Benaim, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East Dana Stroul.

The top officials will be joined by other senior leaders from the military and civilian sectors, the State Department said.

“These meetings demonstrate the United States’ and GCC members shared commitment to advancing regional security and stability through cooperation across a range of issues,” it said.